Despite the drought, which devastated crops all over the Midwest, there`s good news on the pumpkin front. There will be no shortage of pumpkins. In fact, at many patches the prices for picking your own jack-o`-lanterns are equal to last season`s.
Generally, pumpkins, which are members of the squash family, are pretty hardy at accepting hot and dry weather. However, this summer`s extreme conditions concerned even seasoned growers. ”The pumpkin crop did far better than most other crops, better than I expected,” explains Wayne Goede, owner of Planeview Pumpkin Farm in South Barrington. Barb Didier, manager of Didier Vegetable Farm in Prairie View, is happily bewildered. ”This is one of the nicest crops we`ve had in years,” she says. ”I have no idea why the drought was so kind to our pumpkins.”
Several growers report that larger pumpkins may be harder to come by because of the drought. However, size isn`t a concern to Wayne Srail, co-owner of Windy Acres in Geneva. He is offering several 50 to 60 pounders. Most of these, he notes, are purchased by restaurants, although pies made from these giants tend to be mealy.
All the growers agree that heavy rains throughout the summer would have been a greater threat because of pumpkins` susceptibility to rotting. There actually was a pumpkin shortage of sorts following the rainy summer of 1987.
This late in the season, though, it would take an enormous amount of rain to damage the crop. However, pumpkin pickers should probably don boots when parading through muddy pumpkin patches after a deluge. For a city slicker`s tender fingers, gloves also might be a good idea.
But don`t just remove the first pumpkin you see. There`s an art to picking out just the ”right” pumpkin from a sea of orange. Both Srail and Goede offer some pumpkin pickin` tips:
– Look for a pumpkin with a deep orange color and just a hint of green. Beware if it`s too green-it may not ripen.
– Check to ensure the stem is sturdy. If the stem is soft or rotting, it may mean your pumpkin is soft or rotting too.
– Ten to 15-pound pumpkins are just right for carving into jack-o`-
lanterns.
– Always inspect your pumpkin before buying it. Check for even the smallest of holes or gashes; they will get larger and begin to rot your beloved vegetables.
With the proper TLC, your pumpkin might just survive a long time-long enough to be made into pumpkin pie to go along with your Thanksgiving Day turkey.
”Store it in a cool place,” says Goede, ”but not on a cement floor;
shelves are a better choice. Or you can keep it outdoors under evergreen bushes on the north side of your house.”
If you want your pumpkin to last don`t jostle it or use it as a practice bowling ball. And don`t carve it.
